


From Way Back When

by Evieonic



Category: Banana Fish (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Reincarnation, Fluff, Japanese Mythology & Folklore, M/M, Original Character(s), Rebirth, Reincarnation, Soulmates, Soulmates Reborn As Each Other, Sweet, ash lynx - Freeform, eiji okumura - Freeform, made up legends, or maybe real legends
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-10
Updated: 2021-02-10
Packaged: 2021-03-16 19:27:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,214
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29337525
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Evieonic/pseuds/Evieonic
Summary: An old Japanese urban legend; When a person dies and is reborn, their face becomes the face of the person they loved most in their past life.Adapted legend based off of this; When a person dies and is reborn, their new life contains aspects based off of the life the person they loved most had. Example, if a boy who is Italian with red hair and freckles and lived in Turkey, say that a girl fell in love with this boy and died. She would’ve been reborn, possibly, as an italian boy with freckles with an attraction to red hair and to Turkish culture.Jayden is honestly just curious about Japanese legends. But he can't help but wonder if the strange thoughts he sometimes gets where he remembers a boy with blond hair and green eyes like his own...Is that someone he loved once in a past life?
Relationships: Ash Lynx/Okumura Eiji
Comments: 13
Kudos: 38





	From Way Back When

An old Japanese urban legend; When a person dies and is reborn, their face becomes the face of the person they loved most in their past life.

Adapted legend based off of this; When a person dies and is reborn, their new life contains aspects based off of the life the person they loved most had. Example, if a boy who is Italian with red hair and freckles and lived in Turkey, say that a girl fell in love with this boy and died. She would’ve been reborn, possibly, as an italian boy with freckles with an attraction to red hair and to Turkish culture.

“Baah! This is so boring!” Growled a voice in the library. Jayden L. Reese glanced up from the book on japanese legends he was reading for college to see his friend leaning back in his chair, looking bored out of his mind. 

“Why the hell is this important for our essay topic? Why can’t we learn about World War 2 in Japan or France’s part in the revolution!” He groaned again.

Jayden rolled his eyes, pushing up his reading glasses on his nose. “Arthur, we need to first find a war for us to write about.” He picked up a book on historically famous wars and threw it toward his friend. 

Arthur ran to catch it, his red hair flaying about as he leaped out of his chair, catching the book. He glared at Jayden, “Hey! This is a library!” 

“Exactly, so keep your voice down,” Jayden sighed, “I’m reading this legend book so we can find an uncommon war so our essay will stand out more. You want good grades right?” 

Arthur rolled his eyes, “Sure, sure, as if getting a degree really matters. I’d do much better out on the streets.” He smiled, moving his hands in front of him as if he was seeing a vision, “Imagine me running my own gang, terrorizing the streets and ruling all of Illinois.”

Jayden closed his book only to hit it on Arthur’s head, making him wince in pain. “Shut up. That kind of talk will do you no good. Besides, Illinois is not known for gangs.”

“Then i’ll find some place that is!” Arthur growled, rubbing his head, “What’s wrong with you, I didn't deserve that.”

“Hopefully it’ll throw out any ideas of turning to crime. Where would you even go?” Jayden said opening his book back up.

“I don’t know! Maybe St. Louis?” Arthur said.

Jayden didn’t answer, just flipping through the pages. 

“Hey! Are you listening to me? What’s so interesting about those legends anyway?” Arthur grumbled.

“I like them. They’re interesting to think about,” Jayden said. 

“How so? You really think we’re all born with the face of a past lover?” Arthur smirked, “That’s so sappy, JJ.” 

“No, that’s not the legend that interests me,” Jayden placed the book in front of Arthur and pointed at the one that said that people who are reborn, may be reborn with aspects from a past lover’s life. “I think this one is interesting.”

Arthur read the legend and scowled, “You think we’re all born with characteristics from past lovers? That’s so dumb.”

“I don’t believe in it, Arthur, I just think it's an interesting thought,” Jayden sighed, running a hand through his short blond hair. “I think it’s interesting to think that we’re all born as people we loved in a past life. Like as if their soul became a part of our souls.”

“Now you just sound like a witch. Do we have to burn you,” Arthur smirked, “I can take you to Bost- OW!” 

Jayden slammed his book back on Arthur’s head, “Shut up! I’m just saying it’s a cool thing to think about life! Like imagine maybe someone in your past life had red hair and that’s a characteristic that passed on to you.”

“No way, my hair is like this cause my parents have red hair,” Arthur scowled. “Besides how would I know if it was from a past life? You forget once you’re reborn, don’t you?”

“Actually, it’s possible to remember,” Jayden leaned down and showed Arthur another passage in his book, “‘In rare cases, memories can be transferred too, both from your past life and from your lover’s past life. It can be difficult, sometimes impossible to recall them, but it can happen.” 

“This sounds like voodoo to me. Come on, i’m hungry. Check out your books and let’s go,” Arthur rolled his eyes, getting up from his seat.

Jayden’s green eyes followed him and sighed. Arthur had no respect for legends, theories, basically anything that didn’t involve gangs. It’s not like Jayden didn’t mind it much. They both were wild as kids, always causing fights and starting up little mock gangs in school. They got in so much trouble back then, but Jayden got out of that phase, while Arthur stayed in it. 

No, that wasn’t quite right. It was more like Jayden suppressed that phase, while Arthur allowed it to surface and consume him. Jayden sometimes would reminisce about those days and fantasize about him being a tough guy with a badass attitude running a gang in some big, messed up city, trying to make a change in the world. 

No… 

That wasn’t quite right either. Jayden paused as he put the last book up on the desk for check out. No, it wasn’t quite fantasizing. It was more like…  _ remembering.  _ Remembering a time when he was considered someone to respect, considered to be someone who had more good in them then was ever done to them. But it couldn’t be like remembering, since Jayden never was a crime boss. Illinois wasn’t even known for gangs, no matter where you were in Illinois. It was all farms and wind and sweet neighbourhoods, full of that buddy buddy friendliness of someone saying “would you like a cold glass of lemonade?” and not even knowing who you are.

Lemonade. Jayden hated lemonade. It found it to be too sour, but the one thing he did like about lemonade was its color. Jayden’s favorite color was yellow. A bright, almost banana shade of yellow. He also liked green, specifically a shade of green that was like ice but with hints of teal in it.

_ Almost like… a certain someone’s eyes… _

Jayden stopped in his tracks on the sidewalk. Arthur was just up ahead, paying him no attention. A certain someone’s eyes? What a weird thought. Jayden didn’t know anyone who had that iris color except himself. He had green eyes with specks of teal in them. That thought was so unnecessary and random - a thought that should simply be cast away and forgotten but Jayden couldn’t shake it off.

_ Why?  _ Jayden blinked,  _ Why does it feel like i’m remembering something… no, someone. Why does it feel like i’m remembering someone? _

“Um…,” A hand touched his shoulder, “Excuse me. Are you alright?” 

Jayden gasped and turned to the owner of the voice. The sight only made his wild thoughts even more disruptive. 

The person spoke with some kind of accent and had long unkempt black hair and pale skin. They had brown eyes that sparkled and had the appearance of someone who was friendly yet stern. As if they were a loyal, protective person. 

It was the appearance that did something to Jayden. It made his heart tighten. 

_ Why do you look so familiar?  _

The person smiled kindly and bent down, picking up a pair of reading glasses. Jayden’s reading glasses. He didn’t even notice they fell off.

The man smiled, “Um…,” he hesitated, glancing away as if he was searching for the right word. “Megane… yours?”

Jayden raised an eyebrow, “What?” 

The man chuckled, “ Gomenasai… I don’t know the english word for this.” 

_ Japanese… He’s japanese… _

Jayden shook off the thought. Why was that important? “Ah, the word is ‘glasses’”

“Gra...sses?” The man repeated slowly.

“Glasses. Gla-ah-ss-es,” Jayden said, more slowly this time.

_ No... _

Jayden blinked, his eyes stinging.

_ Why is this familiar? Why does this hurt? _

“Gla-ah-ss-es,” The man repeated with imperfect pronouncing. He smiled as if he made an accomplishment, “I see. Arigato!” 

“Uh, you’re welcome…?”

“Oh! Gomenasai! Where are manners,” He chuckled nervously, “My name is Kenji Yuma! It’s nice to meet chu.”

_ Nice to meet chu. _

Again, Jayden’s chest tightened. 

_ Why?! _

Jayden stared at the man for a second before coming to his senses, “I see. My name is Jayden L. Reese.” 

“Jay-den…,” Kenji said slowly. He laughed, “Such an odd name.”

Jayden lowered his eyes slightly in a glare. Was he making fun of him?

“You don’t like it?” He asked.

Kenji shook his head, “No. I think it’s a very, err, hansamu  \- handsome - name.” 

A blush creeped up on Jayden’s face. 

“It’s very nice to meet you - O ai dekite kōeidesu, it’s how you say in my language,” Kenji smiled.

“O… aye deh-ket ko-aye-eh-des.” Jayden repeated, slowly.

Kenji applauded, “Not bad!”

“Erm, thank you,” Jayden said, slowly. 

“You like Japan?” Kenji asked.

“Huh?” Jayden exclaimed a little. What made him think that?

Kenji pointed at the bag in Jayden’s hand. “You checked out a book on Japanese legends.”

“Oh… Yes, I did. It’s for school,” Jayden said, a little distracted.

_ I wonder… _

“You’re from Japan, right?” Jayden asked.

“Hai! Yes, I am. I’m from a small town called Izumo!” Kenji said.

_ There you go again. Sounding familiar… _

“Can you tell me if any of the legends are popular or… believed in, in Japan?” Jayden asked. Maybe he could use this opportunity.

Kenji paused for a second, seeming taken aback by Jayden’s request before smiling an odd smile.

_ It’s like a smirk… no… it’s like a knowing smile.  _ Jayden thought. 

“Sure,” The raven haired smiled. “What would you like to know?”

Jayden took out the book and showed it to him. Kenji’s eyes scanned over the passage and he smiled.

“This legend is believed in a lot of parts of Japan,” He said. “Not necessarily because we believe it’s likely or possible, but simply because it’s a beautiful concept.” Kenji closed the book and glanced up at Jayden, his eyes no longer sparkling. “Why did you look this up?”

“I didn’t,” Jayden said hastily, “I just happened to read it today and was curious about it.” 

“Really?” Kenij asked, his voice sounding a little more thorny and less friendly. “It’s not because you’re remembering someone in your past life?”

“Remembering?” Jayden gasped, his eyes widening.

_ Is that what i’m feeling?  _ He thought, his heart clenching once more,  _ am i remembering someone i loved? Someone who's gone now? _

“That part of the legend is mentioned because it’s happened before. Though in a few cases, it has. It’s the same as the theory that people have soulmates,” Kenji explained, “Have you been thinking about anything a little odd today,  _ Jayden? _ ”

_ Why do you say my name like that? _

“No!” Jayden scowled, “Besides, not that i’m stepping on your beliefs, but that isn’t real. At least not to me.”

“Oh, you think so?” Kenji smirked. “You don’t think way back when, in a life before yours, you may have been in love with a blond hair, green eyed boy? Perhaps someone who has such a defiant, tough guy attitude just like yours?” 

_ My head… _

Jayden’s head and heart began to ache. His mind became fuzzy as if something was trying to break through. Like a memory was trying to resurface. “What are you saying?” Jayden’s voice cracked. 

“I’m simply saying maybe your lover had the same personality as you. Tough, defiant, kind yet almost bossy. Judging from your size, maybe he was a fighter, like a wrestler or something. Or maybe someone troublesome like a gang leader.” Kenji said.

_ A gang leader…  _

_ A gang leader? But why? A gang leader where? Here? _

Jayden let out a gasp as a stabbing pain filled his head.

_ No. Not here. _

_ Somewhere big. _

_ Somewhere famous yet messy. _

_ New York City… _

“I wonder,” Kenji’s voice intervened, breaking through Jayden’s thoughts. “Maybe your name also comes from this person. Maybe Jayden was his middle name or based upon it. Maybe his middle name was Jade.”

_ Jade… _

Jayden’s eyes stung, his eyes focused on the ground and his hand clenching his chest.

“Maybe your last name was his last name too. Maybe a shortening of it?”

_ Shortening… _

_ Reese… _

_ Callenreese… _

“And the L…?” Kenji chuckled slightly, “Well there’s not exactly an obvious way for me to determine that.” 

“It’s Lee…” Jayden wheezed out, his throat thick with emotion.  _ I want to cry… Why? Why did I tell him my middle name? _

“Lee…,” Kenji chuckled. “Now, I can guess. Maybe his first name was Lee… Or rather maybe he used a name that was similar to Lee, a cover up name. Maybe it was just a beginning sound in his name… Kind of like…”

“ _ Lynx…,”  _ They both said at the same time.

Kenji’s eyes widened as Jayden finally looked up at him, tears flowing down his face. His eyes were still green, but to Kenji, they were a different color. A color that belonged to someone else.

“ _ Ash…,”  _ Jayden choked out. 

“So you remember me,” Kenji smiled, his eyes shimmering with tears too. He pulled ‘Jayden’ into a hug as he whispered, “I finally found you again,  _ Eiji. _ ”

**Author's Note:**

> Word Translations (taken from google translate so may not be accurate)
> 
> Megane: Glasses  
> Gomenasai: I'm sorry  
> Arigato: Thank you  
> Hansamu: Handsome  
> O ai dekite kōeidesu: It's nice to meet you


End file.
